This invention relates to a golf club measuring apparatus for measuring the lie angle, loft angle, face progression, sole angle, sole orientation, sole inversion, and neck offset progression of a golf club including a putter.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,105,550 discloses the golf club measuring apparatus for measuring the lie angle, face loft angle, or face progression of a golf club (called the xe2x80x9cclubxe2x80x9d hereinafter). These items are measured by placing the club on the club-holding assembly which is inclined with respect to the horizontal base, regulating the orientation of the club face to a certain direction using the face regulating member, and keeping the club in a predetermined posture.
The foregoing measuring apparatus is advantageous in that the lie angle, loft angle or face progression can be measured without changing the posture of the club. However, since the club is placed with the sole of the club head in contact with the base, it is rather difficult to measure items such as sole angle of the head, original loft or real loft of a wooden club head which are related to a sole of the club head.
In accordance with the invention, there is provided a golf club measuring apparatus comprising: a base having a flat top reference surface; a club-holding assembly pivotally mounted above the flat top reference surface of the base for pivoting movement about a pivot axis; club-gripping member for releasably holding a club shaft, including a pair of grooved frames which are provided with v-shaped grooves, face with each other, are arranged at least at two positions on the club-holding assembly, and have a reference line passing through the centers of the v-shaped grooves and obliquely intersecting with the reference surface of the base; a Y-direction slide plate provided on the base and being slidable in a direction (Y direction) which is parallel to the line of intersection between a virtual vertical plane including the reference line and the reference plane; an X-direction slide plate detachably arranged on the Y-direction slide plate and being movable in a direction (X direction) which is orthogonal to the sliding direction of the Y-direction slide plate; a pole standing upright on the X-direction slide plate; a club face regulator provided on the pole, being vertically movable, and having a reference line parallel to the Y direction; and a protractor provided with a scale on an circular surface around the pivot axis and used for measuring an angle of inclination of the reference line with respect to the reference surface. Various angles of an iron club can be measured with a club head spaced from the reference surface and without changing the posture thereof.
When measuring a wooden club, the head-holding assembly detachably mounted on the Y-direction slide plate will be used in order to hold a head of the wooden club grasped by the club-holding assembly. The head-holding assembly includes retractable projections provided at positions corresponding to a toe, heel and rear part of the sole, the retractable projections regulating the sole of the club head.
The X-direction slide plate is symmetrical in the plane which includes the centerline of the foregoing pole and traverses the direction X.
When measuring an iron club, the club face regulator movably attached to the upright pole on the X direction slide plate is used, so that angles of the golf club can be easily measured with the club head spaced from the base and without changing the posture of the club.
Further, in the case of a wooden club, the club is supported by the club-holding assembly, and the club head is placed on the head-holding assembly detachably attached to the Y direction slide plate, which facilitates the measurement of the original loft or real loft.
The X direction slide plate is symmetrical in the plane which includes the X direction the center line of the pole and traverses the X-direction, so that clubs for right-handed users and those for left-handed users can be measured without changing components of the measuring apparatus.